Welfare at a (Social) Distance: Accessing social security and employment support during the COVID-19 crisis and its aftermath
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Salford
Department Name: School of Health and Society
Abstract
The benefits system is crucial to supporting people during, and after, the COVID-19 crisis but is under extraordinary pressure from an unprecedented wave of new Universal Credit (UC) applications. The benefits system therefore faces two significant challenges:
(1) Urgently, to provide timely income and support to claimants. The wave of new applications places stresses on DWP processes (e.g. ID verification), exacerbating pre-existing concerns over the five-week wait for payment and the shift to a digitalised benefits system. Navigating this 'virtual' system often depends on in-person help (from e.g. advice agencies) and the extent to which claimants can access support remotely is unknown.
(2) Later, helping claimants quickly return-to-work, whilst maintaining security for those out-of-work. Not only do 'new' claimants differ from existing claimants, but they are entering an altered system, with higher payments and reductions in conditionality/employment support. However, there is little knowledge about these new claimants, the operation of the 'new' system or the 'exit strategy' that follows.
There is no time to waste; initial payments to the cohort of new applications are due late-April and major changes in the operation of the benefits system are likely to occur shortly after social distancing ends/relaxes. As such, this 18 month project will provide large-scale evidence on how well we are meeting these challenges and where the system is struggling in order to help policy makers and practitioners to develop rapid solutions. To provide this vital evidence, we will use the following methods:
(1) Surveying claimants
We will conduct an online survey of 8,000 new and existing claimants. We will start this within three weeks of commencing the project and go back to these people twice over the during of the project.
(2) Case studies of claimant support
We will also speak to the people who provide support to claimants. Using case studies of Leeds, Newham, Salford and Thanet, we will conduct 8-12 interviews (48 in total) with people providing this support (e.g. local authority, voluntary organisations, Jobcentres).
(3) Interviewing claimants
We will also carry out in-depth interviews with 80 claimants. These individuals will be interviewed twice (160 interviews in total) starting our first interviews in May. Participants will be recruited from both our survey and case study areas to ensure we include a diverse range of experiences.
(1) Urgently, to provide timely income and support to claimants. The wave of new applications places stresses on DWP processes (e.g. ID verification), exacerbating pre-existing concerns over the five-week wait for payment and the shift to a digitalised benefits system. Navigating this 'virtual' system often depends on in-person help (from e.g. advice agencies) and the extent to which claimants can access support remotely is unknown.
(2) Later, helping claimants quickly return-to-work, whilst maintaining security for those out-of-work. Not only do 'new' claimants differ from existing claimants, but they are entering an altered system, with higher payments and reductions in conditionality/employment support. However, there is little knowledge about these new claimants, the operation of the 'new' system or the 'exit strategy' that follows.
There is no time to waste; initial payments to the cohort of new applications are due late-April and major changes in the operation of the benefits system are likely to occur shortly after social distancing ends/relaxes. As such, this 18 month project will provide large-scale evidence on how well we are meeting these challenges and where the system is struggling in order to help policy makers and practitioners to develop rapid solutions. To provide this vital evidence, we will use the following methods:
(1) Surveying claimants
We will conduct an online survey of 8,000 new and existing claimants. We will start this within three weeks of commencing the project and go back to these people twice over the during of the project.
(2) Case studies of claimant support
We will also speak to the people who provide support to claimants. Using case studies of Leeds, Newham, Salford and Thanet, we will conduct 8-12 interviews (48 in total) with people providing this support (e.g. local authority, voluntary organisations, Jobcentres).
(3) Interviewing claimants
We will also carry out in-depth interviews with 80 claimants. These individuals will be interviewed twice (160 interviews in total) starting our first interviews in May. Participants will be recruited from both our survey and case study areas to ensure we include a diverse range of experiences.
Publications
Edmiston D
(2022)
Mediating the claim? How 'local ecosystems of support' shape the operation and experience of UK social security
in Social Policy & Administration
Geiger B B
(2020)
Rapid Report 1: Claiming but Connected to Work
Baumberg Geiger, B
(2021)
Should social security reach further? Ineligibility for benefits
Edmiston D
(2020)
Who are the new COVID-19 cohort of benefit claimants?
Baumberg Geiger B
(2021)
Non-take up of benefits at the start of Covid-19
| Description | Our project has been feeding directly to DWP and government response in relation to the benefits system during COVID-19 and in its aftermath. To date our research has highlighted issues relating to: - Benefits process i.e. challenges of making online applications and the need for support with remote access to the system; - Issues with eligibility - flagging up those who are falling through gaps in the safety net and what support they require; - Issues around financial adequacy/inadequacy - including impact of Universal Credit £20 uplift, plus wider need to review adequacy; - Impact of benefits system/processes on wider organisations - including the role that wider organisations have to play in supporting people during the crisis; - Trends in attitudes to benefits during COVID-19, including highlighting that despite increased solidarity in the face of a collective crisis, COVID-19 prompted little change in public welfare attitudes; and - Food insecurity among benefit claimants in the UK, highlighting the significant level and severity of food insecurity among the benefit claimant population. |
| Exploitation Route | Our project has been feeding directly to DWP and government response in relation to the benefits system during COVID-19 and in its aftermath. For example, we have been working closely with the Universal Credit Analysis Division at DWP to provide rapid access to our data and findings, and to support their understanding of experiences during and after the pandemic. Additionally, two waves of survey data have already been deposited in the UK Data Archive. This enables a range of others to use the data for their own analysis. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| URL | https://www.distantwelfare.co.uk/ |
| Description | We are continuing to work with the Department for Work and Pensions to share our on-going analysis of the data (this engagement has been on-going since the beginning of the project). This includes sharing the final anonymised datasets but also the on-going analysis and outputs that we are producing. Since the last submission, we have also contributed evidence to further relevant government consultations. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Impact Types | Societal,Policy & public services |
| Description | APPG on Poverty - Written evidence submission for inquiry into the (in)adequacy of social security benefit rates. |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | Brief mention of the non-take-up report in a report, 12 July 2021 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | WASD research on non-take-up of benefits was mentioned in a report by the Administrative Justice Council |
| URL | https://justice.org.uk/justice-and-the-administrative-justice-council-launch-report-on-reforming-the... |
| Description | Citation in CPAG Mind the Gaps Briefing #14, 30 October 2020 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | Report cites our publication and says, "Research has since been published on 'unsuccessful' claimants during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This research found that 45 per cent of unsuccessful claimants were ineligible because they/their partner was still earning too much money, and 24 per cent were ineligible because they/their partner had too much in savings - 145,000 people in total.1 Of those claimants who were ineligible because they/their partner was earning too much money, the vast majority were deemed ineligible because of their partners' earnings. This is clearly hugely problematic when considered alongside women's financial inequality, and the importance of having some form of independent income - for example, in cases of domestic abuse. The same research found that over half of unsuccessful claimants reported more severe financial strains including not being able to pay the rent, not being able to the pay other bills, not being able to afford to eat daily fresh fruit and vegetables, and recently being hungry and not eating." |
| URL | https://cpag.org.uk/sites/default/files/files/policypost/CPAG-mind-the-gaps-briefing-30-October.pdf |
| Description | Citation in Commons Public Accounts Committee employment support report to which we gave evidence, 22 July 2021 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | The WASD team made a series of recommendations in its written evidence on employment support. Some of these were reflected in the PAC report. |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/7123/documents/75426/default/ |
| Description | Citation in report by Commons Women & Equalities select committee, 9 February 2021 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | Our project's research evidence, submitted by Ben Baumberg Geiger and Kate Summers on behalf of WASD together with the Covid Realities project, was cited in this report which made recommendations to government. |
| URL | https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5801/cmselect/cmwomeq/385/38502.htm |
| Description | Citation of Rapid Report 2 in JRF reort 'UK Poverty 2020/21', 13 January 2021 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | Our WASD Rapid Report 2 was cited by the influential campaigning organisation Joseph Rowntree Foundation in its report on poverty. |
| URL | https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/uk-poverty-2020-21 |
| Description | Citation of new claimants report in IFS Green Budget 2020 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | The IFS report cites our Rapid Findings report on characteristics of the new social security claimants during the pandemic as part of argument around extending temporary benefit increases. |
| URL | https://ifs.org.uk/uploads/GB2020-The-temporary-benefit-increases-beyond-2020%E2%80%9321.pdf |
| Description | Citation of our 2nd report in IFS book chapter, 9 November 2020 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | Citation of our second report in chapter of IFS book The temporary benefit increases beyond 2020-21 |
| URL | https://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/15063 |
| Description | Citation on Youtube podcast from IFS. 5 November 2020 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | Our team's Rapid Reports on welfare benefits and Covid are cited in the IFS podcast 'What's happened to benefits through the pandemic?' |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhC44SGTYvw |
| Description | DWP research team asked permission to share private briefing prepared for them with No10 policy team, 16 November 2020 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | The DWP research team asked permission to share a private briefing prepared for them by the WASD team with the No10 policy team - agreed to share. |
| Description | DWP research team requested further analysis from survey, 16 November 2020 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | The DWP research team requested further analysis from our survey and we were able to supply this (via our team's Ben Baumberg Geiger and Kate Summers) |
| Description | Debbie Abrahams MP using our figures when questioning Chancellor Rishi Sunak, 22 October 2020 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | Debbie Abrahams used our figures when questioning Rishi Sunak on welfare policy during the Covid pandemic. Chancellor responded. |
| URL | https://bit.ly/3opn2kh |
| Description | Evidence submission to APPG Poverty, 8 January 2021 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | The WASD team submitted evidence to an All Party Parliamentary Group on Poverty inquiry into welfare benefits and the temporary £20 a week uplift. The APPG has said it will use the evidence in its representations to government. |
| Description | Evidence submission to Commons PAG inquiry into DWP employment support published, 22 June 2021 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | The WASD team submitted written evidence to the Common Public Accounts Committee inquiry on employment support. |
| URL | https://www.distantwelfare.co.uk/post/our-evidence-to-commons-committee-on-employment-support-publis... |
| Description | Evidence submission to Commons Work & Pensions Committee inquiry into DWP response to coronavirus, 11 December 2020 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | The WASD team outlined the main findings of our research to date, relevant to the inquiry topic. The evidence was published on the Committee's website. |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/work/130/dwps-response-to-the-coronavirus-outbreak/publications/wri... |
| Description | JRF requested permission to share our wave 1 data with MP who requested a briefing, 17 November 2020 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | Joseph Rowntree Foundation requested permission to share our wave 1 data with MP who requested a briefing. This was agreed. |
| Description | Oral Evidence to W&P Select Committee, Jo Ingold 4 November 2020 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | Dr Ingold gave evidence to the Commons Work and Pensions Committee's inquiry into the DWP's preparation for changes in the world of work |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/work/302/dwps-preparations-for-changes-in-the-world-of-work/ |
| Description | Oral evidence to Commons Welsh Afairs Committee inquiry into benefits system in Wales, Prof Lisa Scullion, 16 September 2021 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | WASD team leader Prof Lisa Scullion was invited to give oral evidence to the Commons Welsh Affairs Committee inquiry into the benefits system in Wales |
| URL | https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/ccb797c5-d8b8-4950-8242-fe0e161c94e2 |
| Description | Organised learning event with UK & Australia social security government departments, 24 March 2021 |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | The WASD research team led by Prof Lisa Scullion (University of Salford) organised an event for about 30 senior DWP and Services Australia officials to share practice and experience of delivering social security during the Covid pandemic. Funded by UKR Strategic Priority Fund via Lisa at Salford. The event went well and more events are planned. |
| Description | Presentation of findings at the APPG on Universal Credit |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | Recommendation of our report by head of DWP Neil Couling, 5 October 2020 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | Head of DWP recommended reading our report about the characteristics of new benefits claimants during the pandemic. |
| URL | https://twitter.com/NeilCouling/status/1313080822367506432?s=20 |
| Description | Select Committee inquiry into Health assessments for benefits |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/10465/html/ |
| Description | Submission to Bright Blue commission on future of social security, 3 June 2021 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | The WASD team of researchers submitted written evidence to the Bright Blue thinktank's commission on the future of social security, due to report in the autumn. |
| Description | Submission to Commons Women & Equalities Committee inquiry by Ben Baumberg Geiger & Kate Summers, 5 August 2020 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/8721/pdf/ |
| Description | Use of WASD data in JRF briefing, 3 December 2020 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | Our work was cited in this briefing from the influential organisation Joseph Rowntree Foundation |
| URL | https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/financial-impact-covid-19-disabled-people-and-carers |
| Description | WASD Rapid Report 2 cited in British Pregnancy Advisory Service briefing, 1 December 2020 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | Our WASD Rapid Report 2 on the characteristics of new benefit claimants during the pandemic was cited in this policy briefing report. |
| URL | https://www.bpas.org/media/3409/forced-into-a-corner-the-two-child-limit-and-pregnancy-decision-maki... |
| Description | WASD Rapid Report 2 cited in CPAG Benefit Sanctions briefing, 24 November 2020 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | The influential campaigning group CPAG included our project's findings in its briefing paper. |
| URL | https://cpag.org.uk/sites/default/files/files/policypost/CPAG-mind-the-gaps-briefing-30-October.pdf |
| Description | WASD Rapid Report 2 cited in Leeds City Council briefing, 14 January 2021 |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | Senior management at the council cited our WASD research in a briefing paper titled "Reducing poverty and improving financial inclusion - including an update on Universal Credit. |
| URL | https://democracy.leeds.gov.uk/documents/s213442/Reducing%20Poverty%20and%20Improving%20Financial%20... |
| Description | WASD Report cited at SLSA Annual Conference Stream by Anne Daguerre, 31 March 2021 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Description | Written evidence to Commons Welsh Affairs Cttee, 16 September 2021 |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | The WASD team gave written evidence to the Commons Welsh Affairs Committee inquiry into the benefits system in Wales |
| URL | https://www.distantwelfare.co.uk/post/our-evidence-to-the-commons-welsh-affairs-committee |
| Description | ERC Consolidator Award |
| Amount | € 2,998,744 (EUR) |
| Funding ID | 101086758 |
| Organisation | European Research Council (ERC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Belgium |
| Start | 10/2023 |
| End | 09/2028 |
| Description | ESRC IAA via University of Leeds, Welfare at a (Social) Distance: Building a Community of Practice to Improve Income, Benefits and Employment Support During COVID-19 and its Aftermath |
| Amount | £14,990 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2020 |
| End | 09/2021 |
| Description | Health Foundation, project focused on non-claimants for social security |
| Amount | £38,998 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Health Foundation |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2020 |
| End | 11/2021 |
| Description | Strategic Priority Fund |
| Amount | £5,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2022 |
| End | 03/2022 |
| Description | UKRI Strategic Priority fund, bespoke research and DWP-Services Australia transnational learning events |
| Amount | £17,465 (GBP) |
| Organisation | United Kingdom Research and Innovation |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2020 |
| End | 11/2021 |
| Description | University of Salford Internal Research Impact Fund (RIF), to maximise impact |
| Amount | £5,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Salford |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2020 |
| End | 11/2021 |
| Title | Welfare at a (Social) Distance |
| Description | Anonymised data from all project work packages have been deposited in the UK Data Service Archive. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | It has been shared with the social policy community via the Social Policy jiscmail list, and also with the Department for Work and Pensions to enable their in house research teams to use the data to support their own work. |
| URL | https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/studies/study?id=8689#!/details |
| Title | Welfare at a (Social) Distance - survey 2 |
| Description | This is the data from the second survey for the project. It has been sent to the UK Data Archive |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | As per the first survey, the data is being shared to enable others to do their own analysis of the data and to support further work in relation to social security during and after the pandemic. |
| Title | Welfare at a (Social) Distance, 2020-2021: Wave 1 |
| Description | Dataset from Wave 1 survey |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | This important dataset is now available for other researchers to use. |
| URL | https://beta.ukdataservice.ac.uk/datacatalogue/studies/study?id=8689 |
| Description | Applied Projects from Msc students at University of Leeds in partnership with Leeds City Council Financial Inclusion Team |
| Organisation | Leeds City Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | 3 Applied Projects from Msc students at University of Leeds in partnership with Leeds City Council Financial Inclusion Team |
| Collaborator Contribution | The FIT worked with Dr Dan Edmiston to develop the applied projects |
| Impact | 3 applied projects |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | DWP-Services Australia collaborative learning events |
| Organisation | Department for Work and Pensions |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Professor Scullion, with support from the UKRI Strategic Priority Fund (funding received by the University of Salford) has been focusing on extending the reach of impact to an international audience. More specifically, Prof Scullion has led the developing of a series of international learning events bringing together the DWP and Services Australia to share the findings of the research, but also providing an opportunity for these organisations to share their approaches and learn from each other. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Both the DWP and Services Australia have contributed to the organisation and delivery of the learning events. This includes identifying relevant speakers to present in relation to specific service areas and advertising the events across relevant teams to ensure attendance of key policy/practice stakeholders. The DWP has also taken a lead in note taking of key findings from the events that have then been circulated to all attendees. |
| Impact | The key outcomes of this partnership has been the engagement of DWP and Services Australia with the project findings, and the networking and learning opportunities provided through the introductions to various departments within the respective organisations. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | DWP-Services Australia collaborative learning events |
| Organisation | Services Australia |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Professor Scullion, with support from the UKRI Strategic Priority Fund (funding received by the University of Salford) has been focusing on extending the reach of impact to an international audience. More specifically, Prof Scullion has led the developing of a series of international learning events bringing together the DWP and Services Australia to share the findings of the research, but also providing an opportunity for these organisations to share their approaches and learn from each other. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Both the DWP and Services Australia have contributed to the organisation and delivery of the learning events. This includes identifying relevant speakers to present in relation to specific service areas and advertising the events across relevant teams to ensure attendance of key policy/practice stakeholders. The DWP has also taken a lead in note taking of key findings from the events that have then been circulated to all attendees. |
| Impact | The key outcomes of this partnership has been the engagement of DWP and Services Australia with the project findings, and the networking and learning opportunities provided through the introductions to various departments within the respective organisations. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | 'Benefits, Employment and Crisis Support During COVID-19', launch event 24 February 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Our WASD project joined with the Employment Related Services Association to hold this successful online event, which had 400+ registrants and was live streamed on Youtube. Our team's report leaders Dan Edmiston and David Robertshaw presented the findings. Other speakers included a DWP senior officer and senior researcher from Citizens Advice. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/benefits-employment-and-crisis-support-during-covid-19-tickets-129994... |
| Description | 'Hundreds of thousands who lost jobs in pandemic denied Universal Credit', Guardian story, 30 September 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Guardian covered our latest WASD findings report on the new cohort of benefit claimants. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/30/hundreds-of-thousands-who-lost-jobs-in-pandemic-denied... |
| Description | 'Long term unemployed and young people need targeted support', 27 November 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Our project's Kate Summers wrote a response to the UK government's spending review, which was posted on our website and attracted attention via Twitter. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.distantwelfare.co.uk/ |
| Description | Addressing Deep Inequalities: New Agendas for Social Change - invited presentation for the Presidential Panel at the British Sociological Association Annual Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr Daniel Edmiston was invited to give a presentation entitled 'Addressing Deep Inequalities: New Agendas for Social Change' to the Presidential Panel at the British Sociological Association Annual Conference. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Attendance at Covid Realities seminar on future of social security, 17 June 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The WASD team's Dr Dan Edmiston, University of Leeds, participated in this seminar and outlined our research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://bham-ac-uk.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YwLRO8raR7SyCAYH4W1QEQ |
| Description | BBC media article uses some figures that we created specifically for them, March 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | BBC Online used figures on social security that the WASD team created specifically for them. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/article/32c0a2c5-867b-43e6-84e3-5030c2401cd5 |
| Description | Blog for LSE Politics & Policy 'Support services play crucial role in the benefits system but risk being overwhelmed', 24 February 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Our team's Dan Edmiston and David Robertshaw wrote a feature for this influential blog. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/welfare-support-services-covid19/ |
| Description | Blog on FENews site about evidence to W&P Committee, 25 November 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Our team's Jo Ingold wrote a blog on the FENews site about her evidence to the Commons Work and Pensions Committee inquiry into DWP preparedness for changes in the world of work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.fenews.co.uk/featured-article/58624-urgently-needed-employability-and-skills-collaborati... |
| Description | Blog: "Early impressions of researching Welfare from a (Social) Distance" on Covid Realities, 7 July 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Our team's David Robertshaw wrote a feature for the Covid Realities research project blog. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://covidrealities.org/researching-poverty/disconnected-sharing/ |
| Description | Blog: "Questions for Kickstart" , 17 September 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Our team's David Robertshaw wrote a blog for the WASD website based on our research findings. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.distantwelfare.co.uk/ |
| Description | Blog: "The fairness of furlough: perceptions of Universal Credit claimants", 30 October 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Our team's David Robertshaw wrote a blog for the WASD website exploring issues arising from our research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.distantwelfare.co.uk/ |
| Description | Blog: Do people support benefits sanctions during the pandemic?, 7 August 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Our project's Rob de Vries and Ben Baumberg Geiger wrote a blog on findings from our latest survey. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.distantwelfare.co.uk |
| Description | Blog: Half a million people didn't take up UK at the start of Covid-19 and why this matters, 20 April 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | WASD team co-leader Dr Ben Baumberg Geiger wrote a blog for the Inequalities site based on our report launched that day. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://inequalitiesblog.wordpress.com/2021/04/20/half-a-million-people-didnt-take-up-universal-cred... |
| Description | Blog: What can local responses to COVID-19 tell us about the potential and challenges fordevolved 'welfare'? 3 September 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Blog for Greater Manchester Poverty Action by our team's Daniel Edmiston, David Robertshaw and Andrea Gibbons |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.gmpovertyaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/What-can-local-responses-to-COVID-19-tell... |
| Description | Blog: the stigma that thrives in secrecy, 6 May 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Sophie Negus from CRESR, Sheffield Hallam University, wrote a guest blog for the WASD site. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.distantwelfare.co.uk/post/the-stigma-that-thrives-in-secrecy |
| Description | Briefing shadow DWP ministerial team advisers, 10 November 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Our team leaders Ben Baumberg Geiger and Lisa Scullion delivered a briefing shadow DWP ministerial team advisers, following up on earlier contacts. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Briefing to DWP team, 6 July 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Briefing to senior DWP benefits team by Ben Baumberg Geiger |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Briefing to shadow W&P ministerial team, Labour Party, 9 July 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Briefing to shadow ministers Jonathan Reynolds, Karen Buck, Vicky Foxcroft, Seema Malhotra by our team's Kate Summers, Ben Baumberg Geiger, Lisa Scullion |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | COVID-19 Data Dive: Exploring the social and economic impacts of the pandemic, 22 and 23 October 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Our WASD project co-organised this prestigious two-day event. By bringing together major social, economic and population studies in a single place, it provided an opportunity for researchers, policy and charity experts to collaborate and draw out critical questions about the impacts of the pandemic that will need to be addressed in the future. The event was jointly organised by the UK Data Service, Understanding Society, UCL Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS) and the Welfare at a (Social) Distance research project; all are funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.ukdataservice.ac.uk/news-and-events/eventsitem/?id=5679 |
| Description | Collaborative Welfare at a (social) Distance and LSE CASE online seminar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Team members Dr Kate Summers and Dr Rob De Vries presented findings at a collaborative Welfare at a (social) Distance and LSE CASE online seminar in October 2021. The event presented findings in relation to attitudes to the benefits system. This influenced debate in relation to the degree to which welfare attitudes had changed as a result of Covid-19. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Confusion and stigma: half a million people missing out on Universal Credit as COVID-19 hit, GMPA newsletter, 12 May 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | GMPA online newsletter ran a story about our research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Contact with Trussell Trust with view to meeting to discuss research, 10 March 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Our research team contacted Trussell Trust with a view to discussing our work in depth, so that any relevant points could be included in future TT reports. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Contacted Advice Services Alliance with view to meeting, 20 May 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | The WASD team contacted the Advice Services Alliance and was invited to a meeting to discuss each other's work and find ways to collaborate. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Contacted National Housing Federation with view to meeting, 10 May 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | The WASD team contacted the National Housing Federation with a view to drawing attention to relevant aspects of our research. This began a fruitful dialogue. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Contacted Turn2Us with view to meeting, 29 April 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | The WASD team contacted Turn2Us as the secretariat for the Commons APPG on Universal Credit, with a view to drawing the committee and organisation's attention to our research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | DWP/Services Australia introductory meeting, 12 December 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Team members Lisa Scullion, Kate Summers and Dan Edmiston took part in this introductory meeting to mark the start of our UKRI Strategic Priority Fund collaboration. We discussed key issues to focus on in the UK-Aus learning events that will take place in the New Year. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Detailed news update on our non-take-up report, Rightsnet, 20 April 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Rightsnet ran a detailed report on our research launched that day. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/welfare-rights/news/item/around-half-a-million-people-entitled-to-unive... |
| Description | Event: Solidarity in a crisis? Trends in attitudes to benefits during COVID-19 , 2 September 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | WASD held an online event to launch its research report on attitudes to social security, with 125 people booked. Team members Dr Ben Baumberg Geiger and Dr Rob De Vries, University of Kent, and Dr Kate Summers, LSE, joined chair Prof Peter Taylor-Gooby. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.distantwelfare.co.uk/post/solidarity-in-a-crisis-trends-in-attitudes-to-benefits-during-... |
| Description | Expert comment: does the Budget do enough to support benefit cliamants?, 3 March 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Our project leader Prof Lisa Scullion, University of Salford, wrote an expert blog in response to this year's UK Budget. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.salford.ac.uk/news/expert-comment-does-budget-do-enough-support-benefit-claimants |
| Description | External blog for The Conversation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Summers and Edmiston wrote a blog for The Conversation to raise the profile of the research during a time when benefit rates were being debates in politics and the media. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://theconversation.com/raising-benefits-in-line-with-earnings-will-make-the-poor-worse-off-here... |
| Description | External blog on the YouGov website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The project team published an external blog on the YouGov website focusing on the findings in relation to attitudes to the benefits system. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2021/09/10/did-covid-19-transform-our-attitude... |
| Description | Falling Faster: Poverty, Inequality and Ethnicity - Invited Presentation to Social Exclusion Data Users Group, Greater London Authority, London, November 2022. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Dan Edmiston was invited to present the research at the Social Exclusion Data Users Group, Greater London Authority, London, November 2022. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Feature in New Statesman by Anoosh Chakelian citing WASD September Report, 27 November 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | "I've never relied on anyone in my life": Covid-19 and the new Universal Credit claimants: Feature in New Statesman by Anoosh Chakelian citing WASD September Report |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2020/11/britain-s-new-claimants-how-covid-19-introduced-mid... |
| Description | Festival of Debate event: A perfect storm, financial security after Covid 19, 20 May 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | WASD team member Dr Dan Edmiston took part in this event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://festivalofdebate.com/2021/a-perfect-storm-how-must-we-respond-to-the-end-of-temporary-protec... |
| Description | Getting the Measure of Deep Poverty - Invited presentation for the Department for Work and Pensions Linking Leeds Seminar Series |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Daniel Edmiston was invited to give a presentation called 'Getting the Measure of Deep Poverty' for the Department for Work and Pensions Linking Leeds Seminar Series |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Guest blog: Covid-19 and living with a learning disaability - the importance of support, 11 December 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | First in a new series by WASD of guest blogs on topics relevant to our research. This one by Neil Carpenter was widely shared on Twitter. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Guest blog: Energy advice at a social distance: the impact of Covid on third sector energy support organisations, 27 August 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | A guest blog by Matthew Scott of National Energy Action drew atttention to fuel poverty during Covid. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.distantwelfare.co.uk/post/energy-advice-at-a-social-distance-the-impact-of-covid-on-thir... |
| Description | Guest blog: Ensuring our benefits system supports people during the pandemic, 22 February 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Karen Barker, senior researcher at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, wrote a guest blog for the WASD website arguing for a better social security system. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.distantwelfare.co.uk/post/blog-ensuring-our-benefits-system-supports-people-during-the-p... |
| Description | Guest blog: Social security should act as an anchor in difficult times, 2 March 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Senior Policy Researcher for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation Karen Barker wrote a guest blog for the WASD website pressing for the Chancellor to keep the social security uplift in the forthcoming Budget, and go further. The blog was widely shared on Twitter. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.distantwelfare.co.uk/post/blog-social-security-should-act-as-an-anchor-in-difficult-time... |
| Description | Guest blog: Universal Credit and active labour market policy - why the voice of employers needs attention, 10 August 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A guest blog on the WASD website by Katy Jones outlined the problems of employers supporting people into work |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.distantwelfare.co.uk/post/universal-credit-and-active-labour-market-policy-why-the-voice... |
| Description | Guest blog: designing a social security system that works for all, 16 April 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | WASD Advisory Group member and expert by experience Ellen Clifford wrote a guest blog for the WASD site on designing social security for the future. It was widely picked up on social media. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.distantwelfare.co.uk/post/designing-a-social-security-system-that-works-for-all |
| Description | Guest blog: providing remote support to people with complex needs, 20 January 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Guest blogger Matthew Reason wrote a blog for the WASD website on remotely supporting people with learning difficulties and mental health problems during Covid. The blog attracted attention on Twitter. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Guest blog: social security should act as an anchor in difficult times, 1 March 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Katie Schmuecker, Deputy Director Policy & Partnerships from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, wrote a guest blog for the WASD website arguing for a revitalised social security system. It attracted considerable attention on social media. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.distantwelfare.co.uk/post/blog-social-security-should-act-as-an-anchor-in-difficult-time... |
| Description | Half a million eligible for UC not claiming it, The Independent, 20 April 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Independent's Mary Bulman wrote a story based on WASD's report and press release launched that day. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/universal-credit-uk-claim-covid-b1833856.html |
| Description | House of Lords event 29 October 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Event organised by Fran Bennett/Jane Millar at the Social Policy Association, to meet members of the House of Lords including Ruth Lister. Our team's Kate Summers and Lisa Scullion made a presentation of WASD project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Interview on Channel 5 Evening News, 19 February 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Our project leader Lisa Scullion was interviewed on the main evening news bulletin about our research report launched that day. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://twitter.com/5_News/status/1362836760649203716 |
| Description | Interview on Radio Kent, 2 February 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Our project's co-leader Ben Baumberg Geiger was interviewed about our research on Radio Kent. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Lightning talk at Data Dive event, 22 October 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Our team's Ben Baumberg Geiger and Rob de Vries gave a 'lightning talk' at this prestigious event organised by WASD with the UK Data Service and others. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdFww_ztefg |
| Description | Media article on our non-take-up report, Big Issue, 18 May 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Big Issue ran a story based on our research report launched that day. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.bigissue.com/latest/200000-people-denied-universal-credit-because-of-their-partners-inco... |
| Description | Meeting to discuss future joint event with CPAG & Covid Realities, 4 March 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | WASD Project leader Prof Lisa Scullion (University of Salford) and team members Dr David Robertshaw (University of Leeds) and Dr Kate Summers (LSE) met members of the CPAG and Covid Realities teams heading up similar research projects, to plan a joint event for later in the year. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Meeting with DWP social research team and subsequent living standards briefing note, 29 October 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Our team's Kate Summers, Lisa Scullion, Ben Baumberg Geiger, Elena Karagiannaki, and Robert de Vries met a team from the DWP and voluntary sector. They shared WASD project details and initial overview of autumn report content; sharing of living standards findings to feed in to current policy discussions between social research team and secretary of state. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Meeting with Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, 8 May 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Presentations of WASD project to senior Labour MP Rebecca Long-Bailey by Ben Baumberg Geiger, Daniel Edmiston, Kate Summers & Lisa Scullion. Discussion of issues of relevance to RBL, plus offer of support from RBL. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Mention of attitudes report in newspaper article , 2 September 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The WASD attitudes report was mentioned by Patrick Butler in The Guardian (though not the main focus of the article) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/sep/02/doctors-charities-pm-universal-credit-cut-poverty |
| Description | Mention of the main winter report in the middle of a more recent article, The Guardian, 22 April 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Guardian's social affairs editor Patrick Butler mentioned our main report in an article. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/apr/22/uk-charity-trussell-trust-gives-out-record-25m-food-... |
| Description | More, please for those with less: why we need to go further on the UC uplift, The Conversation, 8 March 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Covid Realities submitted this blog on behalf of the Special Interest Group that includes WASD (team members Dr David Robertshaw, University of Leeds, Prof Lisa Scullion, University of Salford, and Dr Kate Summers, LSE). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/covid-realities-uc/ |
| Description | Newsletter mailout to 300 WASD subscribers, 21 April 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | WASD sent out its email newsletter to 300 subscribers with news of its latest research reports |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | One in six new UC claimants forced to skip meals, The Guardian 19 February 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Guardian social affairs editor Patrick Butler wrote a substantial feature about our new research report, which was published the day of our event. Our project leader Lisa Scullion and report lead Kate Summers were quoted. It attracted considerable interest. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/feb/19/new-universal-credit-claimants-forced-skip-meals-cov... |
| Description | Oral evidence at Welsh Affairs Committee inquiry into the Benefits System in Wales |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The project submitted written evidence to the Welsh Affairs Committee Benefits System Inquiry (September 2021) and PI Prof Lisa Scullion subsequently gave oral evidence at the Welsh Affairs Committee inquiry (September 2021). This provided an opportunity to discuss the findings from the project and implications for the benefits system in Wales. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Oral evidence to SSAC evidence session |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | I gave evidence as part of an expert meeting on 5th May 2022, which contributed to this report https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/out-of-work-disability-benefit-reform |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Participation in Future of UK Welfare Expert Roundtable (Anti-Poverty Policy), 19 February 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Our team's Daniel Edmiston and Lisa Scullion took part in this important roundtable with experts from the third sector. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Participation in expert roundtable on anti-poverty policy |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Dr Daniel Edmiston participated in an expert roundtable focusing on anti-poverty policy that led to the publication of "A future well and fair: a post-covid vision of the welfare state": https://www.qmul.ac.uk/mei/projects-publications/a-future-well-and-fair/ |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.qmul.ac.uk/mei/projects-publications/a-future-well-and-fair/ |
| Description | Pre-Budget Open Letter from Covid Realities (signatories and research referenced in letter), 3 February 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | More than 30 researchers signed this open letter coordinated by the Covid Realities research project, aimed at improving the level of benefits in the forthcoming Budget. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://media.covidrealities.org/COVID%20realities%20-%20SIG%20statement%20on%2020%20uplift.pdf |
| Description | Presentation at APPG on Universal Credit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Team member Dr Ben Baumberg Geiger presented our on-going findings at the APPG on Universal Credit in October 2021. This was an invited presented where the project had the opportunity to feed into debate on UC. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Presentation of WASD research to Salford City Council Policy Forum: COVID reponse theme, 12 December 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation by WASD team leader Lisa Scullion and Andrea Gibbons to 47 participants - primarily SCC Cabinet, plus senior officers. Invited presentation to discuss emerging findings to support SCC's COVID response work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Presentation of our WP2 report to Financial Inclusion Steering Group, Leeds, 10 March 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Our team's Dr Dan Edmiston (University of Leeds) presented our latest findings on support for social security claimants during Covid to a steering group of practitioners with an interest in this topic. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Presentation to Academics Stand Against Poverty UK event, 21 January 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Our team's Daniel Edmiston presented WASD research findings to this event and took part in discussion. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | http://academicsstand.org/ |
| Description | Presentation to DWP L&D Group on depth and profile of poverty, 12 August 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation by our team's Dan Edmiston to DWP L&D Group on depth and profile of poverty. Mainly presentation of recent paper but also brief introduction to the WASD project and its remit: encouraged members to get in touch if particular policy issues of interest. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Presentation to Mayoral Combined Authorities, 24 November 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Our team's Dan Edmiston and David Robertshaw made a presentation of our research to the Mayoral Combined Authorities |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Presentation to Resolution Foundation event - Post Pendemic, Post Beveridge?, 29 April 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | WASD team member Dr Kate Summers, LSE, gave a presentation on our research to a Resolution Foundation event and took part in the debate. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/events/post-pandemic-post-beveridge/ |
| Description | Presentation to Resolution Foundation internal staff meeting, 12 November 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Our team's Ben Baumberg Geiger and Kate Summers presented details of the WASD project research and findings, to inform Resolution Foundation work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Presentation to Work Futures Research Centre (WFRC Webinar), 11 November 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Our team's Daniel Edmiston and David Robertshaw presented the WASD project research to date at this successful event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | http://workfutures.southampton.ac.uk/events/who-are-the-new-covid-19-cohort-of-benefit-claimants-and... |
| Description | Presentations and two symposiums at SPA conference, 7 July 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Members of the WASD team including Dr Dan Edmiston and Dr David Robertshaw, University of Leeds, and Dr Kate Summers, LSE, organised two symposiums at the Social Policy Association annual conference, and also made a series of presentations of the team's research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | http://www.social-policy.org.uk/spa-2021-conference-programme/ |
| Description | Press release on claimants' experiences report, 19 February 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Our press release to launch our major report on social security claimants' experiences was picked up by The Guardian and Channel 5 News, as well as being widely read on our website. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.distantwelfare.co.uk/post/benefits-system-must-be-more-ambitious-as-the-labour-market-st... |
| Description | Press release on our support findings report, 24 February 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This press release was timed to launch our project's major report on support services during Covid. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.distantwelfare.co.uk/post/withdrawal-of-crisis-social-security-measures-risks-overwhelmi... |
| Description | Press release: Confusion and stigma: half a million people overlooked Universal Credit despite COVID-19, 20 April 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | WASD issued a press release to launch a new report supported by the Health Foundation. The release resulted in stories in national media including the Guardian and the Independent. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.distantwelfare.co.uk/post/confusion-and-stigma-half-a-million-people-overlooked-universa... |
| Description | Press release: Two hundred thousand ineligible for UC, 18 May 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | WASD issued a press release (via University of Salford) on its latest research. The release was picked up by the Big Issue. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.distantwelfare.co.uk/post/two-hundred-thousand-people-ineligible-for-universal-credit-be... |
| Description | Qualifiied solidarity among first time pandemic claimants - guest blog, 27 September 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A guest blog written by Jonny Ross-Tatum explored his research on attitudes to social security |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.distantwelfare.co.uk/post/qualified-solidarity-amongst-first-time-pandemic-claimants |
| Description | Quarterly meeting of LCC FIT Steering Group, 15 July 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Our team's Daniel Edmiston took part in the quarterly meeting of the Leeds City Council Financial Inclusion Taskforce steering group with Citizens Advice, DWP, Food Aid Network, Leeds Credit Union, etc. Dr Edmiston made a presentation of WASD findings and discussed our Leeds case study. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Report launch event: Claimants' experiences of the social security system during Covid: successes and struggles, 19 February 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This online event attracted about 250 registrants including a group from overseas, and was highly successful in launching our research report. Three leading figures agreed to participate in addition to our own team. These were DWP Change Director General Neil Couling; Katie Schmuecker, Deputy Director of Policy & Partnerships, Joseph Rowntree Foundation; and Ellen Clifford, Expert by Experience and WASD Advisory Group member. Our project leader Lisa Scullion chaired, and team members Kate Summers and David Robertshaw also spoke. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/social-security-claimants-during-covid-19-successes-and-struggles-tic... |
| Description | Summary of attitudes report in rightsnet (benefits news service), 2 September 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | The WASD report on attitudes to social security was mentioned in RightsNet's newsletter. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/welfare-rights/news/item/public-sees-claimants-that-are-new-to-the-bene... |
| Description | Tens of thousands in UK avoided UC during panemic over stigma, The Guardian 20 April 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Guardian ran a story based on WASD's research and the press release and report launched that day. It was written by social affairs editor Patrick Butler who has shown great interest in WASD's work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/apr/19/tens-of-thousands-in-uk-avoided-universal-credit-dur... |
| Description | Universal credit: extending the £20-a-week uplift isn't enough - our research shows the whole system needs an overhaul, The Conversation 3 March 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Our team's Lisa Scullion, David Robertshaw, Kate Summers and Robert de Vries wrote a post for the influential blog The Conversation, about our recent research findings. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://theconversation.com/universal-credit-extending-the-20-a-week-uplift-isnt-enough-our-research... |
| Description | Video recordings of claimants experiences event, 25 February 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Video recording of our highly successful report launch event on 19 February 2021 was posted to our website. About 250 people who registered for the event were alerted, as well as a number who were unable to attend on the day, and general alerts via Twitter. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_peK4EvbUk&feature=youtu.be |
| Description | Webinar: "Interviewing at a distance: reflections on navigating practical, emotional, and methodological challenges", 11 March 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Our team's David Robertshaw was a speaker at this event organised by the Covid Realities research project, outlining the challenges of remote working on research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/social-policy/departments/social-policy-sociology-criminology/e... |
| Description | Welfare at a Social Distance: Qualitative Longitudinal Research During Covid - Invited presentation for the Timecapes 10 Festival, September 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr Kate Summers was invited to present our Welfare at a (Social) Distance qualitative research findings at the Timescapes 10 Festival, which sparked discussion and further interest in the project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | YouGov blog post written by WASD team, 16 September 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | YouGov published a blog written by WASD team members about our attitudes to social security research |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/articles-reports/2021/09/10/did-covid-19-transform-our-attitude... |